Pipe joint



Ml? 23, l939- M. YANAGI 2,159,242

PIPE JOINT Filed Aug. 23, 1937 Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED. STATI-:s

PATENT ori-lcs Application August 23, 1937, Serial No. 160,459

In Japan August 24, 1936 4Ciaims.

My invention relates to improvements in pipe joints and particularly inthose for ilexible hose used in water or other uid pressure systems.

An object of my invention is to obtain pipe joints which are used toconnect a pair of pipes or hose with a positive fluid-tightness.

Another object oi my invention is to obtain pipe joints of the kindspecified which connect a pair of pipes, the connecting operation beingeiiected without relative rotation of any part of the joints.

A further object of my invention is to obtain pipe joints withcompensating means for wear of the joint parts.

These and other objects are eilected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and claims taken in connection with theaccompanyingdrawing, and forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a pipe jointembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the female memberof the pipe joint shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the female member.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the bushing member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the bushing member.

Fig. 6A is an end view of the retaining ring adjustably fixed inside thebushing member.

Fig. 6B is an elevational view of the retaining ring.

Fig. '1 is a sectional enlarged view of the pipe joint structure shownin Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, my pipe joint shown comprises a pair oftubular metal members, i. e., a female member I and a male member 1.

The female member I is provided with an enlarged joint portion 2. 'I'hejoint portion 2 has an annular recess 4 formed therein, which recessdeilnes together with the co-operating end 81, hereinafter mentioned, ofthe male member l an annular chamber, the radial section of the chamberbeing of somewhat U shape with its axis substantially parallel with theaxis of the pipe joint. An annular gasket member 5 of ilexible rubber orthe like is disposed within the annular chamber, the member 5 having anappropriate formation to conform with the chamber. The annular chambercommunicates with the interior of the member I through a plurality ofgrooves 21 formed in member i. The enlarged joint portion 2 is alsoprovided with a tubular extension l of a reduced diameter, and aplurality of cirtion I, the outer diameter of which is slightly' lessthan the inner diameter of the tubular extension 3 of the female member,while the inner diameter of the portion 8 is preferably equal to thoseof the members I and 1. in order to minimize the iiow resistance. Thejoint portion 8 has its end periphery 81 bevelled so as to denne thebefore-mentioned U-shaped annular chamber in which the annular gasketmember 5 .is disposed. 'I'he joint portion 8 has an annular rib 82 whichdefines the portion 8 from the tail portion of the male member 1. Therib 8 is provided with a plurality of recesses 83 at diametricallyopposite positions to receive plungers I0 respectively. Each plunger I0is outwardly biased by coiled springs 9 disposed between the plungerland the bottom of the recess 83. The joint portion 8 is also providedwith a plurality of circumferentially spaced I4 into which the steelballs l respectively engage when in the operating pomtion of the pipejoint. f

The balls I are actuated to and retained in the operating position,inwhich they nrmly engage with the recesses l* to prevent separation ofthe members I and 1 from each other, by means of a tapered cam face |21of a retaining ring I2 which is adjustably xed to the inner side of abushing member Il by means o! screw threads I2 and II.

The bushing member Il has at the end opposite to the annular rib I. aplurality of axial slots l I 1 into which the outer ends of the plungersIl `respectively enter to prevent the relative rotation of themembers 1and Il but to allow a limited axial movement of the member II relativeto the member 1. The bushing member Il is biased towards the femalemember I by means of a coiled spring I3 disposed between and engagingwith the annular rib 8 and an annular flange II3 formed inside thebushing member Il, the annular end face of the member II abutting to acorresponding annular contact face of the joint portion 2, surroundingthe tubular extension I of the latter. The retaining ring I2 is providedwith a pair of recesses I2, so as to receivethecotipendsofatool,

not shown, to turn the ring i2 relative to the bushing member Il,in'order to move the ring axially when parts have been worn andcompensation is necessitated.

In the operating or connecting position shown of the pipe Joints, afluid under pressure predominating in the inner passage of the Jointenters into the annular chamber formed by the recess l and the bevelledend 01 through the grooves 21 asshown by the arrows and urges the gasketmember 5 lto the walls ofthe annular chamber, thus positively preventingany leakage of the fluid around the joint portion I of the male member.

In order to disconnect the members I and lII from each other, thebushing member I I is firstmanually shifted axially out of the femalemember I. By this operation, the locking balls 6 are released, and thenthe male member 1 lsfree to be removed out of the female member. Inorder to connect the members I and 1 with each other, the joint portion8 of the member 1 is inserted into the joint portion 2 of the member Iwith the bushing member Il manually retained towards right as viewed onFig. l, and

then the latter is released, whereupon the spring n I3 urges the bushingIl' to the connecting position shown, the retaining ring I2 actuatingthe locking balls 6 to the locking position shown by virtue ofthebevelled cam face |21, and the mem' bers I and 1 are positively held inthe connecting position. While I have shown my invention in but-oneform. it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not solimited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof, and I believe, therefore, that onlysuch limitation shall be placed thereupon as arevimposed by the ,priorart or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pipe joint comprising a tubular female member, a tubular malemember partly surroundn ed by said` tubular female member, means forpreventing relative rotation between said two 'male members isprevented.

members, a plurality of locking balls heid by said female member with alimited radial movement, a plurality of recesses formed outside saidmale member for respectively receiving said locking balls, a bushingmember partly surrounding said male member, a retaining ring inside saidbushing member, with a screw thread engagement with said bushing member,and having a tapered cam face to co-operate with said locking balls,

Aand means for biasing said bushing member to such an axial directionthat said cam face actuates and retains said locking balls in engagementwith said recesses.

2. A pipe joint comprising a tubular female member having an offsetjoint portion to form an annular recess therein, flexible sealing meansinside said recess, communicating means between the recess and theinside tubular member,

a tubular extension formed on the joint portion, locking balls movablysecured in projecting position in said extension, a tubular male memberhaving a co-operating jointyportion adapted to contact with the sealingmeans, radially projecting elements on said ymale joint, a bushingconcentrically surrounding the male joint extension, the bushing havingfa plurality of axial slots co-acting with the projecting elements tolimit axial movement of the bushing,

and means for biasing said bushing towards the female member, thebushing being adapted to urge the balls into recesses formed in the malejoint portion for locking of the pipe joints to` gether.

3. In a pipe Joint, biasing means as claimed in claim 2, comprising anannular flange formed MASAJI YANAGI.

